Governor Ademola Adeleke, the Accord Party candidate in the Osun State governorship election, has established a significant lead over his closest rival, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as results from the election continue to emerge.
Adeleke is reportedly ahead by more than 66,000 votes, putting the incumbent in a strong position as the collation process progresses. The development has raised expectations within the Accord camp that the governor could secure another term in office.
The election has been closely contested, with Adeleke, Oyebamiji and Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) among the leading contenders in the race.
Adeleke entered the election under the Accord Party after leaving the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He secured the Accord ticket in the party’s governorship primary after becoming the sole aspirant, a move that significantly reshaped the political landscape in Osun ahead of the election.
The governor has campaigned on the record of his administration, while Oyebamiji and other opposition candidates have presented alternative plans for governing the state.
The size of Adeleke’s reported advantage is important because Osun has historically witnessed closely fought governorship elections. In the 2022 election, Adeleke defeated APC candidate Gboyega Oyetola after a competitive contest.
The 2026 election has also attracted significant public interest because of Adeleke’s switch from the PDP to Accord and the emergence of Oyebamiji as the APC candidate. The contest has consequently been viewed as an important test of the governor’s popularity and ability to transfer his political support to a new party platform.
However, the reported lead should not be treated as the final result until the official collation is completed and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) makes a formal declaration.
As Osun awaits the conclusion of the electoral process, attention remains focused on the remaining results and whether Adeleke’s substantial lead will translate into a confirmed victory.
